LOS ANGELES — Within the first 90 seconds of his first press conference this spring, Clay Helton wanted something to be known.

“This will be the last time I’ll talk about the 2018 season,” Helton told the media, moving past the 5-7 season that concluded Thanksgiving weekend. “This is the 2019 football team and they’re moving forward.”

That ugly season is in the past and so is the difficult offseason, which featured coaching staff turnover and several transfers, that followed it. But the only way USC can rid that sour taste from its mouth is to win games on the field this fall.

Despite the months that preceded the opening of spring ball on Tuesday, the Trojans sounded like a confident bunch.

“I want us to focus more on the fundamentals and techniques of the game,” Helton said, “because I think we’re as talented as anybody we’ll play next year, at least equivalent, if not better.”